1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bracket for installing such a subsidiary appliance as a sun visor provided with an electrical device onto an inner panel of vehicle body, and more particularly a bracket for installation of a subsidiary appliance to the vehicle body onto the panel, the bracket enabling the installation to be carried out by a single action and supply of electricity to the electric appliance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as the subsidiary appliances provided in vehicle, for example, a sun visor installed on a ceiling along an upper end of a front window, a room lamp movably installed on the ceiling and the like are used. Some type of the sun visor contain a vanity mirror and some type of the sun visor further contains a lamp which enables such a vanity mirror to be used even at night.
FIGS. 1-18 indicate technologies which the inventor of the present invention and other related people considered. For example, a sun visor 101 having such a lamp, as shown in FIG. 1, contains a bracket 102 provided at an end of a fixing shaft 103 for fixing the sun visor 101 onto a vehicle body and the sun visor 101 is fixed by screwing the bracket 102 to an inner panel 104.
Hereinafter, a method for fixing the sun visor 101 to the inner panel 104 will be described below. First, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, a wire harness 107 is introduced into vehicle compartment from a hole portion 106 formed in the inner panel 104 at an upper end of a front window 105 and then, a connector 110 attached to an end of wire 109 introduced from the aforementioned bracket 102 is coupled with a connector 108 provided at an end of the wire harness 107. In FIG. 3, the connector 110 accommodates a terminal 150 fixed to the end of the wire harness 109. This connector 110 has a double engaging spacer 151 which is a lance for preventing the terminal 150 from being slipped out of the connector 110 and detecting a non-engagement of the terminal 150. This double engaging spacer 151 is mounted in a spacer mounting hole portion 152 which goes through to a terminal accommodating chamber in the connector 110 so as to prevent the aforementioned terminal 150 from being slipped out of the connector 110 and detect whether or not the terminal 150 is accommodated at a predetermined position of the connector 110.
Next, the coupled connectors 108, 110 and wire harness 107 are brought into a space portion 112 between the inner panel 104 and the outer panel 111 through a hole portion 106 formed in the inner panel 104 so as to install the sun visor 101. That is, by bringing the connectors 108, 110 and wire harness 107 into the space portion 112 as shown in FIG. 4, a grommet screw 113 formed on the bracket 102 is inserted into a bracket mounting hole 114 (see FIG. 1) formed in the inner panel 104 and the aforementioned bracket 102 is pressed into the inner panel 104.
Next, as shown in FIG. 5, a screw 115 is inserted into a central hole in the cylindrical grommet screw 113 and tightened. Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, an end portion of the grommet screw 113 is expanded by the screw 115 by means of a slit 118 formed in height direction from the end of the grommet screw 113, so that divided pieces 116, 116 of the expanded grommet screw 113 are pressed against an opening peripheral portion of the bracket mounting hole 114. Consequently, the bracket 102 is fixed to the inner panel 104.
After the tightening of the screw is completed, as shown in FIGS. 5, 7, a cover 117 is mounted onto the bracket 102 to hide the screw 115 on the bracket 102. In this working process, the sun visor 101 is fixed to the inner panel 104.
However, if the sun visor 101 is fixed in the above described way, even if the connectors 108, 110 are installed in incomplete coupling condition (incomplete engaging condition), it cannot be confirmed. Further, even if the connectors 108, 110 are slipped out due to vibration generated by traveling of vehicle, it cannot be confirmed until the sun visor 101 is removed.
If as shown in FIG. 7, a triangular bracket 102 is used, it is difficult to confirm an installation direction of the cover 117. As a result, working efficiency for the installation is low and there is a fear that the cover 117 may be installed in improper direction. Consequently, the cover 117 may become loose or generate abnormal noise.
Further, if the screw 115 is tightened obliquely as shown in FIG. 8, there is a fear that the wire harness 107, wire 109 and connectors 108, 110 may be hooked by a screw portion protruded from an end of the grommet screw 113 so that they may be damaged.
Further, because the installation is carried out by tightening the screw 115, the sun visor 101 has to be held by a single hand during the tightening of the screw. Thus, not only that screw tightening work is very troublesome but also the quantity of necessary parts increases. Additionally, there is a fear that a worker may use a screw of different size so that it may damage the grommet screw 113 or bracket mounting hole 114.
If the sun visor is installed using the bracket 102 described above, the united object of the connector 110 and mating connector 108 is movable in a space between the inner panel 104 and the outer panel 112, so that abnormal noise may be generated during a traveling of the vehicle.
Further, when it is intended to couple the mating connector 108 with the connector 110, the worker has to couple a connector connected to the bracket 102 with the mating connector 108 disposed in the space portion between the inner panel 104 and the outer panel 112 by groping. Thus, there is a problem that the worker has to be skilled in this coupling work.
Further, because the wire harness 109 is placed out between an end 103a of the fixing shaft 103 and the connector, there is a fear that when it is intended to install the bracket 102 to the inner panel 104, this wire harness 109 may be bit between the bracket 102 and the inner panel 104.
Accordingly, the present invention has been achieved to solve the aforementioned problem and therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bracket for installation of the subsidiary appliance onto the vehicle body which enables to confirm visually a coupling condition of connectors and is capable of eliminating incomplete coupling of the connectors and preventing a cover from being installed in a wrong direction, thereby preventing an occurrence of abnormal noise during a traveling of the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bracket for installation of the subsidiary appliance onto the vehicle body, which enables the bracket to be installed onto the panel by a single action without a necessity of tightening screws, thereby not damaging wire, wire harness, connectors and the like.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel comprising: a first bracket having a first connector; a second bracket having a second connector which is coupled with the first connector when the second bracket is united with the first bracket and cylindrical grommet screws which are inserted into bracket mounting holes formed in the vehicle panel and engaged with the vehicle panel; and a cover to be mounted on the second bracket on an opposite side to a side with which the first bracket is to be united, wherein the first bracket has locking pieces each having a lock pawl and the second bracket contains hole portions in which the locking piece is to be inserted, so that a flexible space is formed with a lock arm having an engaging convex portion for engaging with the locking piece facing the hole portion, while the lock pawl engages with the engaging convex portion so that the first bracket is united with the second bracket.
According to the first aspect, the locking pieces formed on the first bracket having the first connector are inserted into the hole portions formed in the second bracket having the second connector and then, the lock pawl on each locking piece is engaged with the engaging convex portion of the lock arm provided so as to face the hole portion. Consequently, the first bracket and the second bracket are united with each other so that the first connector is coupled with the second connector. In this way, only by uniting the first bracket and the second bracket with each other, the first connector and second connector provided on the respective brackets can be coupled with each other.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the first aspect wherein the cover has locking protrusions which are to be inserted into the flexible space so as to press the lock arms against the locking pieces.
According to the second aspect, by inserting the locking protrusion formed on the cover into the flexible space formed in the second bracket, the lock arm is urged toward the locking piece by the locking protrusion, so that an engagement force between the lock pawl and the engaging convex portion is further intensified. Consequently, the uniting force of the first bracket and second bracket is increased.
Because according to the second aspect, the engagement between the lock pawl and the engaging convex portion cannot be released until the cover is removed, connection failure due to connector slip-out can be avoided.
According to the second aspect, if the engagement between the lock pawl and the engaging convex portion is improper, the lock arm is pressed by the lock pawl, so that the flexible space becomes smaller or vanishes. Consequently, the locking protrusion formed on the cover cannot enter the flexible space, thereby indicating that the engagement between the first connector and the second connector is improper. That is, an engaging condition between the first connector and the second connector can be detected. Further, the engaging condition between the lock pawl and the engaging convex portion can be confirmed visually through the hole portion formed in the second bracket even if the cover is not removed, and further, the engaging condition can be confirmed visually depending on the size of the flexible space.
Further, because according to the second aspect, the locking protrusion is inserted into the flexible space when the cover is installed onto the second bracket, if the direction of the cover is wrong, it cannot be installed to the second bracket, thereby making it possible to prevent an improper mounting of the cover.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the first aspect wherein the cover has a grommet screw protrusion to be inserted into a central hole in the grommet screw and an end of the grommet screw protruded to a face on an opposite side to the bracket mounting face of the vehicle panel through the bracket mounting hole is pressed and expanded by the grommet screw protrusion so as to be pressed against an opening peripheral portion of the bracket mounting hole so that the bracket for installation onto the vehicle is fixed to the vehicle panel.
According to the third aspect, when the grommet screw protrusion formed on the cover is inserted into the central hole in the grommet screw formed on the second bracket, the end portion of the grommet screw protruded to an opposite face to the bracket mounting face of the vehicle panel from the bracket mounting hole is pressed and expanded by the grommet screw protrusions so as to be pressed against the opening peripheral portion. Consequently, the bracket for installation onto the vehicle is fixed to the vehicle panel. That is, the bracket can be fixed onto the vehicle panel simply and securely by a single action of mounting the cover to the second bracket.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the first aspect wherein the cover has a fitting pawl formed so as to engage with the second bracket.
According to the fourth aspect, because the fitting pawl to be fit to the second bracket is formed on the cover, the cover is mounted to the second bracket firmly, thereby eliminating a possibility of looseness and vibration.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the first aspect wherein the subsidiary appliance is a sun visor disposed on a vehicle roof portion.
According to the fifth aspect, in addition to an operation of the first-fourth aspect, by forming the first connector for holding the second bracket in general purpose style, a structure of the second bracket or cover located in the vehicle compartment can be changed appropriately depending on a roof structure. Further, by preventing an occurrence of abnormal noise from a place near passengers, the high quality feeling of the vehicle can be improved.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the fifth aspect wherein the second connector is held detachably by the second bracket.
According to the sixth aspect, in addition to an operation of the first-fifth aspect, because the second bracket is separate from the first connector, material thereof can be selected appropriately depending on the characteristic required thereto. As a result, entire cost of the subsidiary appliance can be reduced.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel, comprising: a first bracket having a first connector; and a second bracket having a shaft fixing portion for supporting a fixing shaft provided on the subsidiary appliance and a second connector in which a wire from the subsidiary appliance is introduced from said shaft fixing portion and a terminal of the wire is connected,
wherein said first bracket is disposed between said second bracket and a vehicle panel and said first bracket is engaged with and connected to the second connector held by the second bracket,
wherein said second bracket has grommet screws protruded and by inserting the grommet screw protrusion into the grommet screw in a condition that the grommet screw goes through said first bracket and said vehicle panel, said first bracket is nipped and fixed between said second bracket and said vehicle panel.
According to the seventh aspect, the second connector is held by the subsidiary appliance bracket with the subsidiary appliance wire connected to the second connector and then, by overlaying the panel side bracket on the subsidiary appliance side bracket, the first connector and the second connector can be connected to each other. Further, by inserting the grommet screw protrusions into the grommet screws in the condition that the grommet screws formed on the second bracket go through the first bracket and vehicle panel, the first bracket is nipped by the second bracket and vehicle panel, so that the bracket entirely can be installed and fixed. Thus, according to the first aspect, any looseness never occurs between the first connector and the second connector thereby preventing an occurrence of abnormal noise. Further, because the first bracket is nipped by the vehicle panel and the second bracket, the first connector and second connector can be connected to each other securely.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the seventh aspect wherein the second connector comprises a cap portion for covering a top portion of the shaft fixing portion and a wire cover portion for covering wire on subsidiary appliance placed from the shaft supporting portion to the second connector.
According to the eighth aspect, in addition to an operation of the seventh aspect, because the wire on the subsidiary appliance introduced from the shaft supporting portion is covered with the cap portion and the wire cover portion, the wire on the subsidiary appliance can be prevented from being pulled out more than required from the shaft supporting portion. Therefore, according to the seventh aspect, the wire can be prevented from being bit by the panel.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the seventh aspect wherein the grommet screw protrusion is protruded from a cover for covering the second bracket.
According to the ninth aspect, in addition to an operation of the fifth and eighth aspect, by mounting the cover onto the second bracket, the second bracket can be fixed to the vehicle panel and the first bracket can be nipped between the vehicle panel and second bracket easily.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto vehicle panel according to the seventh aspect wherein the subsidiary appliance is a sun visor disposed on a vehicle roof portion.
According to the tenth aspect, in addition to an operation of the seventh-ninth aspect, by forming the first connector for holding the second bracket in general purpose style, a structure of the second bracket or cover located in the vehicle compartment can be changed appropriately depending on a roof structure. Further, by preventing an occurrence of abnormal noise from a place near passengers, the high quality feeling of the vehicle can be improved.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for installing a subsidiary appliance onto a vehicle panel according to the seventh aspect wherein the second connector is held detachably by the second bracket.
According to the eleventh aspect, in addition to an operation of the seventh-tenth aspect, because the second bracket is separate from the first connector, material thereof can be selected appropriately depending on the characteristic required thereto. As a result, entire cost of the subsidiary appliance can be reduced.
By fixing the bracket of the present invention to the panel in this way, any screw for fixing the bracket becomes unnecessary and further the procedure of tightening the screw also becomes unnecessary, thereby making it possible to reduce the quantity of parts and working steps. Further, because such screw tightening failure as oblique tightening is eliminated, an accident by short-circuit due to contact between the screw and wire or connector can be prevented. Further, a damage of the bracket due to screw size error can be also prevented.